


Dresses and Fighting Don't Mix

by Thrunic



Category: Mother 2: Gyiyg no Gyakushuu | EarthBound
Genre: Action/Adventure, Clothing, Crossdressing, F/M, Fluff, Sharing Clothes, Shorts (Clothing)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 17:07:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20642675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thrunic/pseuds/Thrunic
Summary: A short story recounting Ness and Paula's excursion to Lilliput Steps after Ness has rescued Paula from the Happy Happy Cult. Paula has wardrobe problems (no, not that kind), and Ness helps her out.Rated T because of mild violence.





	Dresses and Fighting Don't Mix

Paula is delighted to be rescued. The hero that she had been praying for has arrived, and he has knocked some sense into her blue-obsessed captors and saved the day.

He doesn't have giant muscles like a TV action hero and his cheeks blush pink way too easily for a fairy tale hero, but she loves him all the same. He doesn't dress like a traditional hero ... after all, what hero wears a striped shirt and a cute backpack into battle. Nonetheless, he is her hero, and she wants to be his hero too.

Paula herself certaily didn't look the part either. Pink dresses and red hairbands don't exactly scream hero material, and frying pans aren't traditional hero weapons, but she is one of the chosen four, and she is adamant that she will pull her weight and do her share. After all, Ness does it with such ease that it doesn't even look like he's trying. Surely she can at least try.

Having pacified Carpainter and his cult, their first quest together is to find Ness' second 'My Sanctuary' location. They enter the cave that the cultists had hated. Paula prepares her PSI attacks, wanting to impress Ness and show how capable she is. Ness has his bat slung over his shoulder, and Paula can almost imagine him whistling as he walks into the cave.

They face their first enemy: two Mr. Battys. Ness is standing in front of them, bat defiantly held up to strike at them when they attack, but Paula has other ideas. "PSI Fire α," shouts Paula as she points her hands in front of her. A flicker of flame, almost like a lightning bolt, dashes forward, and when it's between the two Battys, it explodes into a line of fire, singing the possessed bats. The shock of the flames is enough to knock some sense into the My Battys, and they return to normal, harmless bats that have no interest in hurting any humans.

Paula feels proud that she was able to take down the enemies all by herself. She likes how Ness looks at him. He looks very happy, both because he has a new ally, and because he likes seeing her happy.

A little farther into the cave, the two meet a Mole Playing Rough. Ness and Paula stand side by side as the mole burrows into the ground. It pops back up between the two of them. Paula wants to swing at the mole with her frying pan, but it's too close. She instead raises her knee and tries to kick it away, but as she kicks the mole away, her dress flies up, and Paula is feeling very nervous. Not only did she just flash her undies, but she did it in front of a boy. She manages to weakly push the mole away, but she trips and falls on her rear due to her distraction.

Ness realizes that Paula's in trouble, and he whacks the mole hard with his bat, knocking it back to its senses.

"Paula, are you okay?"  
"Yes, I'm fine. I just tripped."  
"PSI LifeUp α ... Are you feeling any better?"  
"Thanks. That does feel a lot better." (At this point, Ness notices how Paula is blushing)  
"You still look like something's bothering you. Are you sure there isn't something bothering you. You can tell me. I won't judge."  
"Just this dumb dress. I mean, it's nice, but it's awful for fighting in. You can't even kick a mole properly without ... well, you know.

Ness hadn't thought of that. He was a boy and boys didn't wear dresses, but it got Ness thinking. Paula must have been embarrassed because her dress popped up a bit and showed her underwear. Ness didn't even notice, since he was too busy fighting the mole, but surely there must be a way to help Paula.

"Paula, I've got an idea. What if I lent you some shorts. I've got a spare pair in my backpack I can lend you."

Paula thought it was a stupendous idea. When Ness fought with his shorts, he could bend and reach and kick and jump any way he wanted, and he was always covered and protected. Her dress is pretty, but right now she needs practical and functional, not pretty.

Ness fetches his spare shorts (they're blue jorts, just like the ones he's wearing), and hands them to Paula.

"Do you want me to look away while you put them on?"  
"Yes, please."

Ness knows that Paula just wants a little bit of privacy and that it isn't a reflection on him, so he turns around and puts his face into the rock wall of the cave for a minute while Paula puts the shorts on. It take a good minute, since Paula isn't sure if the shorts go under, over, or replace the dress, but she settles on the safest option of 'under,' and tells Ness he can look.

"How do I look," says Paula with a grin.  
"You look great. It's actually a pretty neat style. Now you're just missing one thing."

Ness pulls out a spare striped shirt out of his backpack, which is identical to the one he's wearing.

"You can't wear the shorts without the shirt," he says with a smile.  
"Look away again, please?"

Ness turns around again and waits for Paula to give the okay, which takes a good minute.

When she's ready and Ness looks, Paula looks the same.

"Did you not like my shirt?"  
"Oh, I love it. It's really comfortable, but even better, it's like having a piece of you wrapped around my body. I'm wearing it right now."

Ness does think that Paula is clever. She still has her dress on, and aside from the shorts sticking out the bottom of the dress (which Ness thinks is adorable), she looks just the same, but now she's ready to fight.

The keep going, finding Mondo Mole, the boss guarding the sanctuary location.

While Ness swings with his bat, Paula uses 'PSI Freeze α.' She's able to concentrate properly, knowing that the blast of psychic energy from finishing her spell might knock her dress up, but it can't knock her shorts up.

With Mondo Moe frozen by a blast of pure cold, Ness fires off 'PSI Rockin α,' violently shaking the immobile target. As the mole thaws, Paula runs up with her frying pan ready, and jumps onto the giant mole. She then whacks it repeatedly over the head as she holds on with her legs and her free hand.

Mondo Mole is dazed. Paula lets go, and when he comes back to his senses, Ness an Paula can telepathically feel that he's sorry for what he's done, has no clue what came over him, and will give them no more trouble. Ness feels bad for the bruised mole, so he uses 'PSI LifeUp α,' on the creature, making him feel much better.

Ness finds the Lilliput Steps sactuary location and learns the second part of his song. As the two walk back towards Twoson they have nothing to fear from the animals and creatures of the area, who either flee at the sight of Ness and Paula, or just go about their lives.

"Hey Ness, thanks for the clothes. They really helped me out back there."  
"No problem, and you can keep them. I have so many of the same outfits in my house. By the way, I don't see what's the point of girl clothes anyway. Why do people wear them?"  
"Well, they do look pretty."  
"Yes, you do look very nice wearing that pink dress. I can see why you like wearing it."  
"And I can see why guys like t-shirts and your shorts. These clothes are just so comfortable and worry-free. I think I could get used to this crossdressing stuff." (Ness and Paula both blush)  
"So, Paula, do you want to go shopping for some yo-yos? You look like you could handle a good fighting yo-yo."  
"I'd love to."

With that said, Paula and Ness hold hands and head for the Twoson department store.


End file.
